Kathryn Byler, blog

Although we were anxious to get to the beach and filled with joy to be in 80° F weather in December, we took one day to experience the capitol city, San Salvador. The city is about a 45-minute drive from the international airport. Taking the public bus costs 25 cents. A private driver with a van was $12 per person. Our energy was low from the early morning flight so we saw less than we could have. The many political billboards prompted questions so our driver introduced us to the woes of the upcoming election. It seems the past president embezzled about $350 million and enjoys retirement as a political refugee in Nicaragua. The current president isn’t much better but at least there is law that no president may succeed himself/herself. Elections are controlled by the right or the left but both we were told that parties are corrupt and there’s little hope for better. The current frontrunner is a wealthy businessman born of immigrant (Lebanese) parents who isn’t affiliated with either party. Speculation is that he’ll check the polls and, as the February election approaches, he’ll make an alliance with one of the two parties to dominate. Later, our 30-year old Airbnb host told us she doesn’t plan to vote. I couldn’t help but think of the current situation of American politics and how many people feel similarly disengaged.

The Nico Urban Hotel was perfect — charming, clean, affordable, friendly and almost empty except for staff.

It cost about $100 per night for two people including a full breakfast in a tropical courtyard.

The hotel is situated in an area that’s perfect for strolling. We settled on a terrace cafe for margaritas and dinner where we were the only gringos.

Sunday morning we walked to the nearby National Art Museum, bought frozen, chocolate-covered bananas from a street vendor, and admired graffiti along the way. Again, I noticed no other American tourists. This continued throughout our trip.

The drive back to the coast to our Airbnb home for the next week was again about 45 minutes and $60 for a private driver and van. No doubt a local bus would have been less than a dollar.

The roads and towns are largely indistinguishable from other underdeveloped countries near the equator (El Salvador’s latitude is 13°-15° North). At La Libertad beaches the poverty is intermixed with a couple upscale hotels and a considerable number of smaller hotels and hostels catering to surfers.

Our gracious Airbnb host offered us to jump in a friend’s pickup and go to a nearby beach with a spectacular vantage to watch the sunset.

It’s December and 38° F back home but the surfers, sunset, music, and party-vibe on the beach create the mood of the proverbial “endless summer.”

Give me a sunset over the ocean to share with someone I love and I’m a very happy girl.

On the way back to the house, we stopped at a little cafe for pupusas, the local specialty, which is a fried corn tortilla filled with your choice of beans, cheese, meat, and/or vegetables. They cost a dollar a piece, are made fresh to order, and are delicious.

Our first full day was spent on the beach — surfing (board rental is $25/day or $15 for a half day) and tanning. The national currency is the U. S. dollar and the electrical outlets are the same as back home which makes it very easy for us.

The Sunzal surf break is world famous and it did not disappoint. There are a number of other good surf spots but, with just a week, we stayed close. The guys surfed here 3 days and each day the surf was nice.

It’s hard to top a day walking on the beach, soaking up sunshine, and a lunch of ceviche, shrimp & avocados, and sangrias.

Tired from the sun, we stayed in for the evening while our lovely host made us a healthy, tasty dinner of mahi mahi grilled in banana leaves.

Fun fact: In addition to being a great host, Fatima, a native Salvadorian, is an excellent surfer, yoga instructor and former member of the national fencing team.

To be honest, we’ve stayed in every night. Our Airbnb home is spacious and comfortable plus we’re ready to relax after a long day of rising before sunrise, exploring, hiking, surfing, beaching, and sipping tropical drinks. The calm beauty around us is the perfect setting for quality time with family or personal reflection. Our evenings focus on good food & drinks, watching movies, playing games, and resting.

Early Tuesday morning, we took a two-hour drive then a two-hour hike to the highest point in the country — the top of the Santa Ana volcano (7,749 ft). The two-hour, hot (about 90 degrees) hike is rewarded by a gorgeous view down to the crater lake. The steam coming off the water is actually sulfur.

En route back from Santa Ana we passed the Izalco volcano and stopped at a lakeside restaurant for a well-earned dinner break.

Every day begins with a colorful, peaceful sunrise at about 6:00 AM; more than an hour earlier than the sunrise in Virginia this week. At dawn, Venus is still bright in the sky. Brightly colored birds sing and fly around the property. We’ve seen red hummingbirds and bright yellow birds that, sadly, I can’t identify.

Each evening at 5:30 PM we get an orange, tropical sunset. This is the week of the winter solstice so the days are short but they are a couple hours longer than at home.

At night the stars are vivid. Mars shines brightly as a brown planet and the three stars of Orion’s belt are easy to identify. We sleep with the sliding doors open listening to the sound of the ocean without worry about mosquitoes. There are few bugs other than tiny ants and an occasional fly. At every turn I see colorful, tropical flowers.

Alternating days of activity and surfing/sunning on the beach works well. If you look closely, you can see 15 – 20 surfers out on the Sunzal break.

Our dining has been a huge array from little pupusa stands to upscale restaurants overlooking the Pacific. Lunch one day was in a dried-up riverbed with dogs and chickens walking around. We loved it, of course.

This is a typical stand selling fresh corn tortillas and pupusas that we find in great multitudes.

Our favorite restaurant is Beto’s that offers both delicious food and drinks and a great vantage for sunsets over the Pacific.

Everywhere we’ve been, seafood is abundant and the service is excellent. The cuisine is uniformly good, fresh, and very affordable but it’s not as cheap as Thailand or some places we’ve been. Clearly, the average Salvadorian citizen earning approximately $350 per month can’t afford to eat out often. Much worse, gas costs $2.85/liter or $10.78/gallon yet the roads are very congested. Our host tells us that the buses aren’t safe due to gangs so people buy cars but there are insufficient roads. She says El Salvador has better roads than Costa Rica (and we agree) but Costa Rica has better schools. Traffic jams with no traffic signals to control the flow are common and almost comical. A trip to the grocery store took us 15 minutes one day but more than an hour another.

Friday, the winter solstice, we visited pre-Columbian Mayan ruins (900 BC)  at the San Andres and El Tazumal archeological sites.

Each day is about 85-88° and the evenings are in the 70s; no clouds, no rain, only a light breeze.

It’s so great having time together. We’ve shared a lot of laughs but also endless interesting conversations. For example, we discussed the obstacles third-world countries face. The economy can’t grow sufficiently and people can’t advance their standing without infrastructure to support growth. An example of how that restricts is found in home ownership which is typically a person’s greatest asset. Real property that has been handed down for generations without proper titles and official government recordation system is impossible to leverage.  The inability to leverage these assets limits access to capital needed for the growth of small business and access to higher education, thereby limiting the increase in income taxes and real estate value. All of this has a larger economic impact on the country as a whole forcing people to operate outside the government’s control to support their families. Everywhere you look you see small, entrepreneurial efforts. Citizens are incentivized to vote for leadership that protects the status quo. Micro-financing works to a limited extent but doesn’t address the bigger issues. No doubt, this is only a small part of the challenges but it’s meaningful to learn from travel and terrific sharing thoughts. We have no desire to see the entire world turn into the United States, still, one can’t help but think about the opportunities in the U. S. versus the severe limitations facing much of the world.

One afternoon we were sitting at a cafe by the ocean and Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” was playing. Andrew brought up an interview he saw with Bob. In response to a question asking if he was rich he replied essentially, not if you mean money in the bank, but I’m rich in peace of mind, love, community, and respect. Work as hard as you like, folks, but you can’t buy those things.

El Salvador has been perfect for an 8-day trip. It’s easily reached, full of natural beauty and warm, welcoming people, and is very affordable. Too bad so many travelers see it as unsafe. At all times I’ve felt surrounded by good, kind people. True, our Airbnb is in a gated-community. Also true, it’s common to see security personnel (private, police, or soldiers) armed with big guns but I haven’t had an uncomfortable moment or felt in any danger whatsoever.

Flying back home just in time for Christmas. I’m not sure when or where my next trip will be but of this I’m confident … the world is big and life is an adventure. Time is the ultimate limited resource.

“A very Merry Christmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear”  John Lennon

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Helen Keller

“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” Henry David Thoreau

 

I love long weekend trips! And this trip was double the fun because it was a “girls’ trip!”

We flew into Boston then picked up a rental car for the 80-mile drive to Cape Cod. Our accommodations were a 200-year old home and cottage in West Dennis which is one of the many charming, coastal towns. Without exception, every town I visited on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard was beaming with excellent seafood, historical architecture, and friendly people. Funny how the Northeast seems to value and maintain its old buildings and furnishings while much of the country tears down, throws out, and starts over.

Day One was spent on Martha’s Vineyard which is an easy one-hour ride on the ferry from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs. Our excellent host was a local to both Massachusetts and Virginia so she was perfect to show us around. Over the course of the day, she drove us to all six towns on the island, stopping for highlights along the way.

Leaving the port at Oak Bluffs, we passed this idyllic grass square complete with a gazebo and geese. Without noticing that we’d left Oak Bluffs, we ran straight into Edgartown where we stopped for lunch. Time for a lobster roll!

Edgartown is the county seat (aka “shire”) and it still holds the look of the wealthy whaling days with rows of big, white homes for the ship captains.

Just off the tip of and part of Edgartown is Chappaquiddick Island, a small state park marked by a ranger taking tolls. Access to Chappaquiddick is off the paved road via a small, dirt road and a low bridge that spans a waterway about 8-10 ft deep at high tide, according to the ranger. It sent chills down my arms to think about July 18, 1969 when Ted Kennedy drove off the bridge, swam free, left Mary Jo Kopechne inside the submerged car, and did not report the incident until the next day. Minutes before he notified authorities, Mary Jo’s body was recovered by local police. Kennedy pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident that caused personal injury and was sentenced to two months in jail; all of it suspended. He continued to have a successful political career and was the second-most senior member of the U. S. Senate when he died in 2009.  Here’s a picture of the Chappaquiddick Bridge.

The entire island of Martha’s Vineyard is 100 square miles (about 22-mile long and 5 miles wide) and is referred to geographically by locals as up-island and down-island or sections such as west chop and east chop. (We were told the island is shaped like a pork chop thus the expressions.) 

Up-island has three small, rural towns–Aquinnah, Chilmark and West Tisbury. In Aquinnah, the western most point of the island, we stopped at the beautiful Gay Head cliffs and lighthouse.

Aquinnah is less than six square miles and is home to the Native American Wampanoag Tribe. The day we visited there was a Native American festival going on near the cliffs.

Next to Acquinnah is Chilmark with Menemsha. There was something extra-special about the little fishing village of Menemsha and I would love to go back to spend more time there.  It’s a favorite spot for watching the sunset while savoring take-out lobster dinner.

Winding out the last of the six towns, Vineyard Haven (aka Tisbury) is followed by West Tisbury. Vineyard Haven is the primary harbor and stays open all year long unlike Oak Bluffs. All along the way we were directed to huge homes and sites with local history such as the estate where the Obamas stay when they’re in town, the theater where Jackie Kennedy frequented, the community center where James Taylor or his brother and sister perform, and the neighborhood where Carly Simon and her family live.

Back in Oak Bluffs for the return ferry to Cape Cod, we stopped by the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meting community. This is an adorable community of 318 gingerbread cottages, each one cuter than the one before. 

The community was founded in the early 1800’s as a camp with tent sites for inter-denominational Christians to meet and worship. Today it’s recognized as a National Historic Site. 

The homes have names and dates displayed on the porches and makes for a lovely, afternoon stroll. I felt like we were walking through the setting for the Hansel & Gretel fairytale.

Near our ferry port, we stopped at Nancy’s, the restaurant where Malia Obama worked last summer.

(I did not take this picture of Malia nor did I see her. If I saw any famous people, I didn’t recognize them.) Our server said she worked as a hostess for a couple nights then was moved to the window of the outdoor cafe. Once she was recognized it became a side-show and Secret Service removed her. It’s easy to see why wealthy people and celebrities like Martha’s Vineyard. We never saw a police officer and I assume there’s little-to-no crime. In spite of the incredible wealth, everyone was quite unassuming and uniformly pleasant.

Back on Cape Cod we spent the next couple days biking, hiking and enjoying the huge cultural change from Virginia Beach. Entering the Indian Lands Conservation Area at the West Dennis trail head to the Cape Cod Rail Trail, we hiked along the Bass River.

The area had very few people and was full of birds, butterflies, and natural beauty. Both of my hiking companions are biologists so they positively identified a red-tailed hawk giving us an aerial show swooping repeatedly over the wetlands.

Cape Abilities Farm is a non-profit organization providing employment and skills training for people with disabilities. The beautiful produce and flowers are then sold at stands and served in restaurants across the Cape. We stopped at the farm in Dennis to explore a bit and left with honey, candy and other treats. 

Next to the lobster, perhaps my favorite thing about Cape Cod is the Cape Cod Rail Trail. There are so many miles of great biking between quaint towns. We rode the Shining Sea Bike trail between Falmouth and Woods Hole. 

Once in Woods Hole, we parked our bikes by the ferry station and walked through the town stopping to sit a while with Rachel Carson, pioneer marine biologist, conservationist, and author of “Silent Spring” credited with promoting a global environment movement. 

Next stop was the Marine Biological Laboratory. There is no fee but donations are accepted. All the displays were of life found in the area including  this skate…

and this angel fish.

Where ever I go and however great the museums, aquariums and other places are, my favorite thing to do is almost always walking the streets and getting a feel for the community. 

On my first trip to the Cape I was introduced to the Boston accent and frequent conversations regarding Ivy League schools, universally liberal politics, and topics that rarely come up in SE VA conversations. Now on my third trip to Cape Cod I know what to expect and I warmly welcome the diversity of sound and thought.

While the beaches are fine, they’re not amazing. First, it’s never warm enough for me to sit in my bathing suit and, secondly, the water is cold which is not good for me but is a favorite for sharks. The Saturday after our visit a man was killed by a shark attack at Wellfleet Beach. That’s the second shark attack at Cape Cod beaches this summer.

Evenings on the Cape were almost magical. Passing neighbors and dogs, we walked to the beach for sunset …

then happy hour at the cottage …

and a delicious dinner with interesting conversation in the comfort of the Emslie’s summer home passed down through generations.  After dinner we walked about 1/2 mile to O’Shea’s for live music and fellowship with local residents. It’s the friendliest place I can think of. The Spampinato Brothers rocked the place on Saturday night! You might remember them from “The Simpsons” where they played in cartoon characterizations. Our server danced across the floor, hugged everyone she met, and almost cried begging us not to fly back to Virginia Beach where a hurricane was approaching.

“Cheers” where the television show was filmed is in nearby Boston but, in my experience, O’Shea’s is where everybody knows your name.

There’s no doubt that I’ll go back to Cape Cod. Perhaps I’ll be brave enough to go in winter next time. It could be fun to see everything covered in snow. Hurricanes and all, there’s no place like home.

I saw this sign at one of the many little shops in Falmouth. It seems to fit.

Nothing like a spontaneous road-trip cross country. (This post needs a sound track. Cue “Life is a Highway, I want to ride it”) This is my fifth trip cross-country in two years, all in this beautiful Toyota 4Runner. I can’t say enough good things about this sweet ride.

I made a command decision on Tuesday afternoon to depart early Wednesday and drive from Virginia Beach to Malibu. The plan was basic – drive approximately 2,500 miles and arrive in California by Sunday. Like all big tasks, broken in smaller pieces, it doesn’t seem so big; drive about 500 miles a day for 5 consecutive days. The way it actually unfolded wasn’t far from that with variations to spend a little time at certain places along the way. America is such a beautiful country full of interesting, good people that I freely welcome an opportunity to explore more of it.

First night—Nashville, Tennessee (Cue “Tennessee Whiskey” with Chris Stapleton & Justin Timberlake)

(This photo was actually taken a couple years ago because I didn’t get a good shot this time.)

Leaving Nashville early the next morning, I headed for Memphis which is on the Mississippi River. Halfway across the river, Tennessee ends and Arkansas begins. I rolled right through Arkansas passing countless billboards for barbecue restaurants.  Not the easiest place for a pescatarian to find lunch.

Second night—Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Cue “God Bless America”). The Murrah Federal Building Memorial is so touching. A description of the memorial indicates that the wall at the entrance is engraved with the time “9:01” because that was the last moment of peace before the explosion on April 19, 1995 that took 168 innocent lives including 19 children under six. The wall at the far end is engraved with “9:03” because that’s when the healing began.

The field of empty chairs, each one with a name for a victim, small chairs for the children, always brings me to tears. It’s hard to understand the senseless violence.

Driving through Oklahoma offers a panorama of fields, cattle, and windmills. (Cue Dixie Chicks “Wide Open Spaces, room to make a big mistake.”) This landscape continues through Texas. Driving through the Lone Star State there are acres and acres of cattle and holding pens. Again, Texas is no place for a vegetarian. The landscape begins to look dry and more like desert near the New Mexico border.

I always feel a special connection to the Southwest. Rather than feeling road-weary, when I reach New Mexico I’m inevitably energized and eager to make the most of whatever time I have.

Next stop Albuquerque, one of my favorite cities! I took a mandatory break for a couple hours including lunch at the Church Street Cafe (oldest restaurant in Albuquerque), a photo op at the iconic gazebo in the center of Old Town,

and a stroll past the beautiful San Felipe de Niri Parish.

Third night—Gallup, New Mexico (Cue “Peaceful Easy Feeling” by the Eagles) This is a quiet, little, border town near the entrance to the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest State Park in Arizona.

I don’t exactly understand why fallen trees in the park didn’t decay like most but rather absorbed natural elements forming colorful rocks. They’re from the Late Triassic Period about 225 million years ago. The result is quite beautiful. 

I stopped for a couple hours in Flagstaff, a small, college town with Route 66 and a railway running through the middle. Lunch was pretty much the same as in Albuquerque and so very delicious both days — chips, salsa, guacamole, enchiladas, sopapillas filled with honey, and a margarita … yummmmm! 

Arizona is such an amazing state. It’s difficult to pass highway exits for places like the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Phoenix but I really can’t pass Winslow without stopping to stand on the corner. (Cue “Take It Easy” by the Eagles)

Fourth night—Just over the border in Needles, California (Cue: “Small Town” by John Mellencamp). This small town has lower than average per capita income and higher than average unemployment but it also has people with a strong sense of family who take great joy in their piece of the Colorado River that runs through town.

It’s a relatively short drive from here to Los Angeles, famous West Coast city, full of talent, creativity, celebrities, money, diversity, smog, and traffic. I love Los Angeles for a lot of reasons but it seems to be a little crazier and more expensive every time I go there. This trip, I stayed only for lunch then headed north about 30 miles to Malibu with my two California sons.

Nights 5 – 8 — We checked in to our Airbnb in the Malibu hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean, home for the next 4 nights, and sat back to enjoy some of the best things in life–family, nature, and free time. 

Our first destination the next morning was Pepperdine University that will be home to my son, Daniel, for the next 18 months. No wonder it’s consistently voted the most beautiful campus in America. The sprawling grounds overlook the ocean and in no way resemble a typical college campus.

Evenings were spent making & eating dinner, playing games, and roasting marshmallows for s’mores. 

The second day we checked out surf shops and beaches.

There seem to be countless cool beaches up and down the coast. There are also a lot of great cafes with really fresh seafood.

Our Airbnb, temporary home was a converted barn with every imaginable luxury including tennis courts and a hot tub.

The last day we hiked in Malibu Creek Canyon Park. One trail leads to the former site of the television show M*A*S*H*. We climbed around on some of the abandoned props and walked through the familiar mess tent with picnic tables. 

Another trail leads to a cistern and dam.

It was hot with high altitude which made for a challenging ascent. As always, I was the weak link but I was in excellent company and I definitely enjoyed the hike.

This could have been the end of a wonderful trip cross-country but wait, it doesn’t end here because the spontaneous road trip to Cali bumps into a previously planned long weekend. Early Thursday morning I flew direct from LAX to DCA (Washington’s Reagan National Airport) and was met by my daughter, Kristina.

Nights 9 and 10 — We met up with our friends and attended the Eagles/James Taylor concert at Nationals Stadium.  (Cue Hotel California) Of course, the Eagles are not the same without our beloved Glen Frye but they are still terrific. Deacon Frye (Glen’s son), Vince Gill and Stuart Smith are new additions. 

Friday we toured the National Archives and the National Portrait Gallery. We tried again to get tickets to the African-American Museum but were unsuccessful. Most all the museums are free but a couple of the newer ones are so popular they require a reservation. Throw in excellent restaurants and top it off with a full moon as viewed from the rooftop bar of the Watergate. All in all, it was a delightful two-day stay in our nation’s capitol.

Night 11 – Rehoboth

(Cue The Eagles, “Put me on a highway, show me a sign, and Take It To The Limit One More Time”) From DC I drove to Baltimore to drop my daughter off at the airport then continued through Maryland, over the Bay Bridge, into Delaware and eastward to Rehoboth. The result was a complete change of pace. Rehoboth is a fun beach town with a 60’s vibe and plenty of seasonal traffic. We bicycled down to Dewey Beach stopping at outdoor venues with live music and views of the water. No question, there’s a lot of money here. Former vice-president Joe Biden, Oprah, and baseball player Cal Ripken, Jr. all have homes in the area. Sunday morning we rode about 12 miles north on the Breakwater Trail to Lewes which was my favorite town of the several we visited. It’s quaint and, while still touristy, somehow classier than the others that were filled with music, drinking, boaters, and sunbathers. 

Leaving Rehoboth, the drive down the Eastern Shore from Delaware to Virginia is flat and easy. The last 23 miles of the drive is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  A beautiful sunset welcomed me back home. 

Looking back on it now, the trip went like this:

Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, (I may have crossed into Nevada for a few miles), California, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware, and back to Virginia

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines.” Charles Kuralt

This is an article I wrote for my law firm’s website for readership by the general public; not other lawyers. I’m quite sure it doesn’t qualify as an adventure in life which seems like a clear sign that I need to make a plan to get out of the office ASAP. I will add some commentary, such as this, to the standard article as noted by italics. Reviewing all the bills that were introduced and the various results over the eight-week session confirmed that I would not enjoy serving in the General Assembly. 

Each January the Virginia General Assembly convenes to consider passing new laws and repealing old ones. Delegates and State Senators meet for six or eight weeks in alternating years with the extra two weeks in years when a budget is voted on, such as this year. Generally, the new laws become effective on July 1^st with exceptions for either immediate or delayed enactment. This year the General Assembly considered 3,722 bills. Some were continued to the 2019 session, others failed to pass both the Senate and House of Delegates, and some were vetoed by the governor, resulting in approximately 1,500 new laws. Here are highlights of some that passed and some that didn’t.

Official Salamander—Thanks to the efforts of a small group of young conservationists (“Salamander Savers 4-H Club” in Fairfax), the Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) was selected from the 50+ varieties of salamanders found in Virginia to be the official state salamander. This designation joins other state symbols such as the official state beverage (milk), insect (tiger swallowtail butterfly), snake (eastern garter snake), and spirit (George Washington’s rye whiskey). HB 459 Commentary: I’m glad to see young people involved in the process and hope this was empowering. Otherwise, it seems trite. Is there no end to state designations? 

CBD oil and THC-A oil—It’s still illegal to smoke marijuana in Virginia. Only nine states and the District of Columbia have approved recreational use of marijuana. All except for four states allow medical use of cannabis or some form of cannbidiol (CBD) oil or tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THC-A) oil with a doctor’s prescription. The new Virginia law provides that a healthcare practitioner may issue a prescription for the use of CBD oil or THC-A oil for the treatment, or to alleviate the symptoms of, any diagnosed condition or disease determined by the practitioner to benefit from such use. This is an expansion from previous law that limited the use to alleviate the symptoms of intractable epilepsy. The bill increases the supply of oils from 30 days to 90 days and reduces the minimum amount of cannabidiol or tetrahydrocannabinol acid per milliliter for a dilution of the Cannabis plant to fall under the definition of CBD oil or THC-A oil. This bill carried an emergency clause so it went to effect immediately upon being passed and signed by the governor in March. HB 1251/SB 726 Commentary: I find it difficult to understand how marijuana is still a criminal offense. If you had asked me back in my college days (mid-70’s) what the future of smoking pot was, I would have expected it to be decriminalized as soon as my generation was making the laws (90’s and turn of the century; way before now). Smoking was never my thing but, let’s be honest, I suspect pretty much every member of the General Assembly has possessed and used marijuana. How can they justify the cost of enforcing these laws and the damage it does to lives? It seems so hypocritical. I suspect VA is less conservative than it is hypocritical. So much rhetoric. 

Alcoholic Confectionery—Bakers, ice cream makers, and others can now add alcohol to their sweets to be consumed off-premises provided that there is five percent or less alcohol by volume and the alcohol is not in liquid form at the time such confections are sold. HB 1602/SB 61 Commentary: Politics is a funny thing. Historically, VA government has been characterized by conservatives who follow Thomas Jefferson’s belief that government should be limited. Yet, alcohol is controlled by the VA Alcohol Beverage Control Authority. Every time a governor says he (we’ve never had a female governor but we were first to have an African American governor, Governor Douglas Wilder, 1990, which is something to be proud of) will privatize alcohol sales, a quick review of the revenue stops further discussion.  Money seems to trump principle. 

Grand Larceny Threshold—The threshold amount of money or value of goods taken at which the crime rises from petit larceny to grand larceny increases from $200 to $500. HB 1550/SB 105 

Child Support Obligation and Modification of Spousal Support—A new law establishes methods by which child support obligations can be calculated when there are multiple custody arrangements between parents of children subject to child support orders. HB 1361/SB 981 And, another new law provides that when a payor spouse reaches full retirement age pursuant to the federal Social Security Act, it shall be considered a material change in circumstances and basis for a request for modification by any person subject to a spousal support order.  SB 540 Commentary: I don’t practice family law but I appreciate that child support is determined from statutory tables. Spousal support, on the other hand, is often aggressively fought over which damages the parties and their families. No one can say exactly how it will work out. It’s expensive and painful. Better have a prenuptial agreement and/or a good lawyer. We have 5 good family law attorneys at my firm.  

Rear-facing Child Restraint Devices—Forward-facing child restraint devices until, at least, the child reaches two years of age or until the child reaches the minimum height and weight as prescribed by the manufacturer are prohibited. Studies show rear-facing seats provide better protection for the child’s head, neck and spine when the vehicle is involved in a collision. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2019. HB 708 Commentary: Studies supporting this are compelling. Don’t wait another year to protect your child. Go ahead and get the rear-facing car seat ASAP. 

Housing; Installation and Maintenance of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms—This bill creates standards for the installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in rental property. The bill requires a landlord to install a smoke alarm and to certify annually that the alarm has been installed and maintained in good working order. The landlord is also required to install a carbon monoxide alarm upon request by a tenant. HB 609

Driver’s Licenses and Street Signs—Upon request and proof of veteran status, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) must issue driver’s licenses, permits, and identification cards displaying an indicator signifying that the holder is a veteran. HB 737 Also, upon request and verification, DMV must post and maintain signs informing drivers that a person with a disability may be present in or around the roadway. The disabilities specifically noted are deaf, blind, and any person with autism or an intellectual or developmental disability. HB 505

Deferral of Jury Service—This bill allows a court to defer a person’s jury service to a later term if the person is enrolled as a full-time student and is attending classes at an accredited public or private institution. HB 481

Dogs and Wineries—This new law allows dogs, not just service animals, inside and on the premises of a licensed distillery, a licensed winery or a licensed brewery, except in any area used for the manufacture or storage of food products.  HB 286 Commentary: I predict this is a leading indicator of many dog-friendly bills in the future. 

Coon Hunting—Passage of this bill removed the prohibition on hunting or killing raccoons after 2:00 AM on Sunday. SB 375/HB 239 Commentary: Really? We’re paying our elected officials to spend time on this? 

Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation; Yorktown Victory Center—The name of the Yorktown Victory Center has been changed to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. HB 335

The Following Bills Failed:

Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the United States Constitution proposed by Congress in 1972—The joint resolution advocates that the Amendment remains viable and may be ratified notwithstanding the expiration of the 10-year ratification period set out in the resolving clause, as amended, in the proposal adopted by Congress. Disregarding the potential that it’s 36 years too late, the Virginia legislature still does not ratify the ERA. HJ 2 Commentary: This is just amazing. I supported this in 1972 but now it seems ridiculous. 

Repeal of Cursing in Public—Repeal of a law prohibiting cursing in public was left in committee and failed to make it to a full vote of the House so it remains a criminal offense (Class 4 misdemeanor) to profanely swear in public. While the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution protects free speech, the Supreme Court of the United States has recognized several categories of speech that states may regulate. HB 31 Commentary: We, Virginians, are ladies and gentlemen. Profanity will not be tolerated.  

Reduction of Penalty for Adultery—Passage would have reduced adultery from a criminal offense (Class 4 misdemeanor) to a civil offense carrying a penalty of not more than $250. This bill was passed by the House but not make it out of committee in the Senate, therefore, it did not proceed to the governor for signing and does not become law. HB 745/SB 610 Commentary: Again, really? Who are we kidding and what purpose does it serve to keep this law on the books? I feel like extra-marital affairs are matters for civil disputes, not criminal. You’ll never find a prosecutor willing to take this to trial. 

Repeal of Fornication Statute—In light of the 2003 U. S. Supreme Court precedent of Lawrence v. Texas the Virginia Supreme Court (Va. Supreme Court, Martin v. Ziher 2005) ruled the law prohibiting fornication (sexual intercourse by an unmarried person with any other person) is unconstitutional, however, the law remains in the Code. There have been repeated attempts to repeal the outdated law but the current effort didn’t make it out of the Courts of Justice Committee. HB 138 Commentary: Now, Virginia, what are you/we trying to prove? Is it that we’re still living in antebellum days of Southern belles and gentlemen? Or, are we outside of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction? 

Repeal of Punitive Damages Limit—Elimination of the limit of the total amount of punitive damages that can be awarded in an action. Current law provides a limit of $350,000. HB 1305 

This article is not intended to be comprehensive or complete. Selected bills have been taken from summaries prepared by the VA Division of Legislative Services and other sources. If any of these laws affect you personally, you should check with a lawyer about specific concerns or read the actual law in its entirety.

Commentary: That’s all I’ve got. Let me know if you’d like to see a review next year. I’m skeptical that much will change. I sang along with Bobby when he said, “The Times They are A’ Changing” but here we are 40 years later and so little has changed. 

What is so special about Paris? The history, the art, the architecture, the wine, the cuisine, the people? For certain I cannot answer this question.  I simply state that walking down Les Champs Elysees and looking up at L’Arc de Triomphe will fill you with emotion.

It’s never good to be sick when you’re traveling, but we struggled through with the flu making the best of the situation. Fortunately, our dear friends, the Dillys & Chaneacs, provided us with comfortable homes, delicious food, warm companionship, and activities to the extent we were able to enjoy.

First stop was Christian’s lovely flat on the canal. The gentrification in his neighborhood is interesting and reminds me of parts of Los Angeles. The hipsters move in renovating the flats, trendy businesses follow, property values and rents go up causing a huge change in both the affordability and the vibe.

We started each day with a bowl of cafe au lait and a fresh croissant purchased that morning from the bakery down the street.  Mmmmmm (This is part of the culture shock when I return home. It just doesn’t seem civilized to have a loaf of bread with preservatives sitting around for a couple weeks when I compare it to fresh bread from a local baker. I feel the same about a big refrigerator/freezer in comparison to the European custom of buying just enough fresh produce, meats and fish for one day.)

Over the next couple days, we enjoyed countless stories of different eras in French history that explain the narrow streets, the grand boulevards, the architecture, and the monuments.

Here are two perspectives of the Louvre. The first is of the main plaza and the second is from the inside looking out to the pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei (1989). Like so many structures in Paris, it seems opposed to the buildings around it. Yet, somehow, the French blend many styles and make it all work together. 

I won’t bore you with a thousand pictures of beautiful courtyards, balconies, walls, cathedrals (Notre Dame, Sacre-Coeur, Basilica of St. Denis), and fabulous, engraved, wooden doors at every turn, but the truth is that next to the food and friendship, my favorite thing about Paris is walking the streets. It’s far better when you walk with someone who knows the history so we were in great luck. This is no slight to the culture that is arguably the finest in the world, but with the flu we opted out of the concert that we had planned and kept our activities to relatively low-key walks and cafes.

On Friday afternoon

From métro “Pont Marie” (near “ile de la cité”) to “place des vosges” through  rue Saint Paul, rue de Turence….. (avec ses hotels particuliers et les portes)

Puis nous sommes revenus vers le Palais Royal – Louvre au travers du “quartier du Marais” (avec ses petites rues: rue des rosiers)

On Saturday

Nous avons descendu au travers les “passages couverts” (en partant de la station de Métro Pelletier, pour arriver dans les jardins du Palais Royal)

Successivement nous avons parcouru

– le passage Verdeau

– Le passage Jouffroy

– le passage des panoramas

Puis après avoir marché un peu le long de la rue Vivienne, (et vu le palais Brognard) nous avons fini par la passage Colbert – Vivienne pour arriver dans les jardins du Palais Royal

l’aprés-midi

A pied par l'”avenue Kleber” de l “Arc de Triomphe” à la “Place du Trocadéro” (donc en face de la Tour Effeil)

Sunday (after Versailles)

Nous avons déposé Monique “Porte Maillot” (en bas de l’avenue de la “grande Armée” qui arrive à l’arc de Triomphe”
De la porte Maillot nous sommes allé vers Montmartre par l’avenue des Batignolles , somme passé devant le restaurant (le Wepler) ou nous avions mangé samedi soir, puis pris le boulevard de Clichy.

C’est le long de ce boulevard que nous avons vu divers “cabarets” (dont le Moulin Rouge) quelques boutiques “Olé-olé” et entrevu le sacré coeur

I won’t belabor the point but will mention that where Switzerland had almost no diversity, Paris is a big city composed of people from all over the world with substantial populations of people from Africa, Asia and the Middle-East. This is more true each time I visit. We saw a protest every day complete with marchers and police designated to keep the demonstrations peaceful (but definitely not quiet).

Sunday we went to Versailles — about 45 minutes or an hour out of Paris. It’s a nice change from the city to clear air and nature.

We enjoyed a delightful lunch at a cafe by the grand canal. Here’s Daniel with his decadent dessert of crepes with ice-cream, banana, and chocolate. 

The pools and fountains were beautiful but the water wasn’t running in the fountains due to the season (March). I expect the fountains will soon be turned on once the fear of freezing ends. Similarly, the gardens were gorgeous but they lacked the colorful flowers that will fill many areas when the weather warms.

Spending the afternoon strolling the grounds at Versailles with my son and friends of 40 years is my idea of a wonderful day.

Next question, why does so much time pass between my trips to Paris? My first visit was when I had just graduated from college and, with a backpack and a dream, I embarked upon circumnavigating the globe in one year. I’ve been back briefly a couple times but the real answer as to why so much time passes is that life gets in the way. That’s not meant to undervalue “life” in any way because it is more valuable than a trip. I certainly wouldn’t take back any of the full life that was curbing my travels. There were 3 decades of building a marriage, a family, a home, and a career; and, overlapping years of caring for an aging father, and somewhere in between, perhaps, there were years of confusion. In my experience, there are years of focus and years of confusion; years of commitment and years of opportunity. I probably won’t return every year as I now feel like I must but I, also, will not wait another 10 years.

“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.”  Thomas Jefferson

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway

“Paris is always a good idea.” Audrey Hepburn

 

The largest city in Switzerland, Zurich’s energy and growth are immediately apparent. We’re staying in Old Town near where the river runs into Lake Zurich. The pre-medieval Old Town with cobblestone streets and interesting things at every turn is a great place to wander around. Here’s Daniel looking typically chic with a cow on the balcony above.

The suggested walking tour took us south to the lake, in front of the beautiful opera house where chairs are set up in an open area for people to enjoy the sunshine, and then to a little cafe famous for bratwurst, Sternen. I skipped the bratwurst but enjoyed the delicious bread, spicy mustard, and potato salad.  Interesting that a country with so much cold weather has outdoor seating almost everywhere with the added benefits of fur seat covers, blankets for laps, and sometimes even a rack of fur coats to keep you warm while you dine. We then crossed the river and turned north, walking past the Fraumunster Church with windows by Chagall and Giacometti, through the shopping district and up to the main train station. It’s almost like walking through a museum because the architecture is so beautiful. It certainly makes me question the utilitarian style of buildings back home. The women’s clothing in the window displays throughout Switzerland has been so pleasing with slightly-muted, solid colors, natural fabrics and simple designs. They’re much more in line with what I like that American fashion which makes me smile. Even generations after my ancestors left Switzerland, it seems that some of the culture is in my basic nature just as my father shared the majority of the classic Swiss temperament and work ethic.

We spent the afternoon at the Kunsthaus, Museum of Modern Art. It’s full of masterpieces like this self-portrait by Pablo Picasso (1901)

Edouard Manet’s “Spanish Woman” (1879)

Marc Chagall’s “The Lights of Marriage” that he painted one year after his wife died (1945)

“The Water Lily Pond with Irises” by Claude Monet that reminds me of my own French countryside original painting back home by our resident artist, Patrick Byler Clark, 

and, this gorgeous self-portrait by Franz Gertsch, “Franz and Luciano” (1973).

The weather has been consistent–low 30’s every day; generally sunny in the morning then cloudy with light snow showers in the afternoon. Our time is Switzerland is ending but I leave with happy memories and an excellent impression of a country that is full of both natural beauty and man-made beauty manifested in civility, culture, and chocolate. 

“It is always easy to create an ordinary city; what is difficult is to create an extraordinary one, peaceful and restful one, smart and tidy, artful and cultivated one, in short, a livable one! And Zurich is such a city!” Mehmet Murat ildan, Turkish playwright and novelist

Located in the center of Switzerland, Lucerne is in the German-speaking part of the country. Our hotel is very near the landmark Chapel Bridge built in the 14th century. The last time I was here was in warm weather and the bridge was lined with bright red flowers. Today it has a different beauty with a light dusting of snow.  This is the more famous of the two covered bridges. The other has a small hydro-electric dam and is just below the walls of the old town, as shown in the picture below. Lac Luzern and the Reuss River flow through the center of town.

The famous Lion of Lucerne commemorates the Swiss Guards killed when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in 1792 to reach King Louis XVI who had fled Versailles. In A Tramp Abroad Mark Twain wrote that the sculpture was “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”

“The Lion lies in his lair in the perpendicular face of a low cliff — for he is carved from the living rock of the cliff. His size is colossal, his attitude is noble. His head is bowed, the broken spear is sticking in his shoulder, his protecting paw rests upon the lilies of France. Vines hang down the cliff and wave in the wind, and a clear stream trickles from above and empties into a pond at the base, and in the smooth surface of the pond the lion is mirrored, among the water-lilies.

Around about are green trees and grass. The place is a sheltered, reposeful woodland nook, remote from noise and stir and confusion — and all this is fitting, for lions do die in such places, and not on granite pedestals in public squares fenced with fancy iron railings. The Lion of Lucerne would be impressive anywhere, but nowhere so impressive as where he is.” — Mark Twain, 1880

The Church of St. Leodegar is both a monastery and parish church. An easy walking tour beginning at the arch just outside the train station and continuing through old town shows you all this and more. 

Each facade is more beautiful and interesting than the one before. We had dinner at this lovely restaurant last night. The building is the former headquarters of the bakers’ guild and the painting is two vines with the family crests of the original members. 

If you look carefully, you’ll see the Swiss Alps rising in the background. This picture doesn’t begin to convey the majesty or comparative size but the alps tower over the city providing a magical background to this most special place. 

One night our entire dinner was chocolate fondu at this beautiful restaurant. Every place has so much history and is so old compared to our young country of the USA.

One more stop before we leave this beautiful country. Up early to catch an eastbound train to Zurich!

“Switzerland is a small, steep country, much more up and down than sideways, and is all stuck over with large brown hotels built on the cuckoo clock style of architecture.” Ernest Hemingway

“Switzerland is a place where they don’t like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate.” Larry David

We enjoyed a relaxing train ride from Blonay to Zermatt, first passing along Lac Leman with France in clear view just across the lake then up into the mountains to the German part of Switzerland with Italy just to the south. We passed villages, castles, vineyards, waterfalls then finally entered the snowy landscape. More than the language changes. You can somehow notice the change in attitudes — the locals are much more direct; still very clean and efficient but with an edge about them.  My father’s ancestors came from a small part of Switzerland, near St. Moritz, where the German dialect is still very similar to the Pennsylvania Dutch he grew up with in an Amish community. I recall a small conversation my father many years ago.  I commented there are many ways to do the same thing. He said, “No, there’s the one best way; all other ways are wrong.”

We picked up some rental boards which were quite affordable given that almost everything in Switzerland is about double what I would expect to pay at home. Our balcony is just over Daniel’s head on the top floor in this picture. The view from our room every morning is the vibrant top of the Matterhorn as shown in the first picture of this post. 

Snowboarding in the morning was the creme de la creme–perfect snow, perfect weather, no lift lines, just amazing! We could ski down to the Italian side but decided to stay on the Swiss side. The lifts, trams, and gondolas are all comfortable and state-of-the-art. Unlike skiing in the USA, I never saw a lift or tram slow down or stop. 

Taking a break at noon we sat at an outdoor cafe with live music playing Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Elton John and Van Morrison. There were fire pits but the weather was so nice, we were comfortable without heat or jackets.

Sharing this experience with Daniel is magical. He’s such a great travel companion. The only way it could be better would be to have his siblings with us. We’re already talking about another trip for the whole family. The world is big and time is our most precious limited resource.

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” Desmond Tutu

Also known as “The Smallest of Big Cities,” Daniel and I arrived in Geneva at 6:30 AM after flying all night from Newark, NJ. In only a short time, we were commenting on its quietness, cleanliness, and politeness. It’s the opposite on NYC, Bangkok, or Rome. I never heard a horn honking or a person shouting.  Later, while discussing our impressions with French/Swiss friends we were told that, yes, the Swiss people place a big emphasis on such things but they are also quite cold and closed off, not making friends quickly.

The famous Jet D’eau (Water Jet) fountain located where Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) meets the Rhone River can be seen all over the city. This is a view from the top of St. Peters Cathedral.We had just two days to enjoy the city so we walked the streets, hit some of the highlights, and met quite a few lovely local people at coffee shops and cafes. Perhaps, my first thoughts of Switzerland are alps, cheeses, chocolates, banks, and watches. Geneva is certainly prominent in the high-performance watch sector.There’s a Patek Phillipe museum that, regrettably, wasn’t open when we went by but we stopped at a Rolex store to admire the gorgeous watches.  Located in an industrial building with an obscure entrance, we spent a couple hours at the MAMCO (museum of modern and contemporary art) that offered some impressive paintings and installations by primarily European artists (there was one Warhol) over the past 40 years.

A delicious lunch at a sidewalk cafe brought a long conversation with a local gentleman who was quite opinionated on almost every subject but, surprisingly, American politics never came up. In fact, no one we met ever mentioned American politics, sports, religion, or anything controversial. They talked about food, wine, travel, occupations, education, automobiles, and general pleasantries. When visiting St. Peters Cathedral, you will appreciate the beautiful architecture and stained-glass windows but don’t forget to turn around to admire the organ pipes. Sorry we couldn’t stay for a concert but it must have amazing acoustics. 

Eight hundred and fifty years old, the church is well-known as being the home of John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation movement.

Walking down a narrow street in Old Town, I noticed this marker indicating the birthplace of Jean-Jacque Rousseau, Genevan philosopher, composer, and writer of the 18th century.  

For our first dinner, our hotel clerk recommended a favorite restaurant for cheese fondue which we enjoyed with bread and potatoes. The service was just like everything else; polite and efficient. 

After two days, we were mostly over the jet lag and ready to travel to Blonay, also on Lac Leman but more in the mountains. What a happy reunion after twelve years to be with Monique and Laurence, some of my most treasured friends! With old friends, one reflects on dreams and passages, then shares hope and visions for the future. Time apart seems irrelevant.  

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.” Henry David Thoreau

 

 

This double rainbow shows the good fortune to be able to leave cold, snowy Hampton Roads in February to celebrate my mother’s 92nd birthday. Every day was sunny and about 82 degrees, perfect for sitting by the pool or walking on the beach. Mom made friends all over the resort. I got this picture of her crashing a wedding reception and dancing with the father of the bride. And here are Mom and Kristina with umbrella drinks at the pool bar.Five days and four nights at an all-inclusive resort was great fun and, definitely, broke up the winter cold. What a great way to celebrate my beautiful mother with my daughter, Kristina, and niece, Crys. One thing is certain, my mother is an amazing woman!“Her children rise up and call her blessed.” Proverbs 31:28